


Countdown

by blackat140795



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Clock AU, Harry Hart Lives, TiMER AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-29
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2018-05-03 21:43:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5307911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackat140795/pseuds/blackat140795
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where everyone had a digital clock tattooed on their arm that counts down to their death. It tends to stay the same but can be altered as people make decisions throughout their lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Countdown

Harry’s clock fluctuated through his life. As a Kingsman agent, he took comfort when it gave him months instead of days, and made sure to take extra precautions when it fell below twenty four hours. He’d had missions where it had never changed a second, and missions where it changed six times in an hour. The lowest he’d ever gotten was six seconds, just enough time to spot the sniper hidden a quarter mile away and dive for cover. Merlin had given him all kinds of shit about that one.

He’d been sure it was his time was up during that mission with Lee Unwin. His clock had fallen to sixteen hours and forty-two minutes right before they’d left on their sixteen hour 15 minute flight to the Middle East. He’d immediately checked Merlin’s arm, which was at a comfortable two months. Anything over a month was unusually good for Kingsman. So whatever it was, it was a threat to him, not the group. Right before they hit the compound he checked again. Under two minutes. When he saw the pin, he knew it had to be him to save the rest. He was ready, starting forward, before Lee Unwin had thrown him back. After the building he’d kicked himself over and over for not checking the recruits’ numbers, but they were rookies. They weren’t supposed to be in danger yet, not really.

When he’d gone to Michelle’s, he’d seen her clock drop as he gave her the news. But she still had years, at least enough to take care of the boy. That’s what he thought, at least. Lee’s boy would still have chance. He had kept that thought right up until he handed Eggsy the medal and the little kid’s sleeve slid down his arm. The boy only had five years left. 

How had that happened? 

Lee hadn’t exactly been the most personable recruit, understanding instinctively not to tell too many details about his personal life to his competitors. But he’d confided to an extent in Harry, and his favorite topic was his son. He’d proudly and happily told Harry one day his little boy had come out with seventy years on his clock, and it had stayed steady through high fevers, coughs, and one scary incident where baby Eggsy had downed half a bottle of hot sauce at twelve months old. Lee’s son was supposed to live a long, happy life.

Lee’s son was also supposed to have a father to protect him through most of that life.

Harry forced a smile at the young boy and left, but couldn’t let go of that diminished number. Over the next few years he kept an eye on the Unwin’s. He could never interfere directly – the one time he tried Michelle stabbed him with a kitchen knife. After that he simply sent money, which was never sent back. He would cut through some red tape for Michelle in the benefits program, got rid of a few public intoxication charges, and did anything he could for the boy’s schooling. Michelle wouldn’t allow him to go to private school, probably because her new boyfriend Dean thought it was unnecessary. Harry did what he could.

When Eggsy finally called, Harry didn’t get a good look at his arm right away. Lee’s son was dressed in a baggy sweatshirt which covered everything. It was not until training that Harry saw that his clock read almost ten years. This was both encouraging and depressing. If Eggsy was to make it into Kingsman, it was unlikely his clock would read that long. Kingsman never went more than a month without being in life threatening danger.

He kept an eye all through training, telling himself that it was purely for Lee’s sake. He was the one who made sure Eggsy wore his Adidas sweatshirt for the train test, to make sure they clock was covered. Percival made sure Roxy was wearing a long coat over her dress, Arthur that Charlie had his jacket on. Once Eggsy passed and they went back to Harry’s place, Eggsy ditched the urban boy get up. For the second time in his life, Harry received a nasty shock on behalf of one Gary Eggsy Unwin. His clock was now down to two days. 

He figured it had something to do with Valentine, that Eggsy would end up going with him on a mission to stop Valentine’s plan. Immediately he started planning on how to best keep Eggsy out of danger. Then Eggsy failed the dog test, and that theory shot out the window. He was mad then, and madder when Eggsy stole Arthur’s car. The real kicker was that when Eggsy arrived at his house, his clock hadn’t increased. Eggsy was still almost out of time. Harry figured the young man would do something stupid now that he had been rejected from Kingsman and get himself killed. He told Eggsy he’d deal with it when he got home, desperately hoping he could arrive back before Eggsy’s time ran out. He couldn’t be responsible for letting two Unwin’s clocks run out.

He was so worried about Eggsy’s clock that he didn’t bother checking his own.

He didn’t see it drop when Arthur called and sent him to America.

He didn’t see the clock tick down the minutes on the plane ride over.

He didn’t see it go under a minute as he stumbled out of the church.

He didn’t have to see it approach zero as Valentine brought the gun up.

Only the paramedics saw it slowly increase when they found him outside of the church.

When Harry woke up he immediately checked his arm. The black numbers weren’t moving. For a moment he thought that meant he was dead. Then a deep Scottish brogue told him that he was an idiot, and he knew he was home.

A year later he noticed that his time and Eggsy’s time were aligned, which was both terrifying and strangely comforting. When he told Merlin about this discovery, the wizard just shot him an exasperated look and ran him out of the room. Eggsy just shrugged and grinned when Harry brought it up, refusing to say more about it. As the years moved on, people stopped commenting about it. 

It was just the way things were.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this and had a wonderful holiday!


End file.
